Do you enjoy scrolling through the Internet? Do you have a passion for media production? Are you tech-savvy and have a flair for business? If the answer to all of this is yes, you might want to consider social media as a future career!

What is a career in social media like?

In the 21^st century, social media has now become an essential part of business, with more and more consumers reporting that social media impacts their buying decisions. To survive in the competitive consumer market, you’ve got to adapt, and that’s what businesses are doing. Companies are now adjusting to the new digital climate, and adopting a new and evolving practice, social media marketing (SMM). With SMM, companies can now engage with their potential and existing audiences, build their brand, increase sales, and track the success of their activities and find out how to improve their efforts. And with that, the work of social media managers is becoming increasingly crucial and necessary for a business to thrive in the digital age. Having an online presence might be the difference between success or failure.

Have you ever come across an advertisement of that new show you’ve been meaning to watch while scrolling through social media? Or have you seen a celebrity or influencer promoting a clothing brand with pieces that suit your taste? Or have you ever come across a post from an official company, be it their rendition of a popular meme or trend, or replying humorously to other social media users, and you actually find it… funny? That’s some of the work of social media managers to you. Through their meticulous planning, designing, and campaigning, their company’s products will somehow find a way to your feed. Key here is to raise brand awareness, promote their company on social media, and attract potential consumers, while maintaining the company’s existing customers.

Now is the prospect of being a social media manager interesting to you? Read on to find out how you can get the role!

How do I become a social media manager?

To become a social media manager, you would usually come from degrees such as advertising, marketing, public relations, digital and social media marketing, business management, journalism, and internet design.

However, individuals with unrelated university degrees can absolutely become social media managers as well, be it through apprenticeships, applying directly to the company, or working towards the role.

What skills do I need to work in this position?

Coming into the industry, you will need to have knowledge of the working language (being able to read, write, and speak), and of media production and communication.

Essential skills that you will need are thoroughness and attention to detail, ability to persuade and market products, teamworking skills, organizational skills, business management skills, creativity, verbal communication skills, as well as technological and computer skills. 

What are the key responsibilities?

As a social media manager, you will be in charge of handling your company’s social media sites, from day-to-day updating, planning, designing, and creating content, scheduling posts, engaging in discussions, and of course, replying to messages, comments, and customer feedback. You will be overseeing competitions and campaigns to promote your company. You will have to pay close attention to current consumer and cultural trends, what your competitors are doing, and what your audience has been saying about your company across social media. 

What will the job look like?

A social media manager can work for companies in an office, or as an online digital community manager, acting as the connecting link between companies trying to sell their products and their consumers. They typically work 38 – 40 hours a week, and have a starting salary of £25,000 per year. This amount can increase to about £60,000 as you advance in the field.

Want to learn more?

Here are some useful links to help you get started!

-       https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/social-media-manager

-       https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/social-media-manager

-       https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-media-marketing-smm.asp

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